Authenticity of bottled water chemical composition inferred from brand labels: example of the Lebanese market

Abstract

To date, no emphasis has been given to the quality of chemical composition of purchased bottled water as deduced from brand labels. Declared information ought to provide customers with facts and realistic figures to the best possible extent; however, contradiction is often oddly noticeable when hydrochemical data is screened for accuracy. This impeaches the authenticity of the brand and raises doubts about its credibility. Reviewing the truth of the water quality is quite easy based on the registered labels. Charge balance (CB) within a water sample and calculated total dissolved solids (TDSc) derived from major constituents announced on brand label are two straightforward proxies to the quality of water analyses. The example of the Lebanese market shows that 47% of the recognized local brands miss the CB of the water chemical analysis, and 65% declare significantly lower TDS values compared to TDSc. In addition, comparing lab measurements of Cl- and TDS to label concentrations reveal more than 25% variance for the majority of the studied brands, which confirms inaccurate announcements. These results criticize the reported labels, and call for more strict regulations in labeling procedures to ensure transparent, realistic and reliable claims.